David McPherson
CFP®
Four Ponds Financial Planning, LLC
Founder, Financial Advisor
David McPherson
CFP®
Four Ponds Financial Planning, LLC
Founder, Financial Advisor
As a fee-only financial planner, my focus is to offer unbiased financial advice to help you achieve your life goals. - David McPherson, CFP®
Fee-Only financial planner with offices in Boston and Mashpee, MA, serving clients locally and across the country

David McPherson is a Boston, MA fee-only financial planner. Four Ponds Financial Planning, LLC provides comprehensive financial planning and investment management with a focus on sustainable investing to help near retirees and young professionals organize, grow and protect their assets through life’s transitions. As a fee-only, fiduciary, and independent financial advisor, David McPherson is never paid a commission of any kind, and has a legal obligation to provide unbiased and trustworthy financial advice.
David McPherson founded Four Ponds Financial Planning in 2007 to provide sound, objective financial advice to clients looking for help with their investments, retirement planning and other money-related needs.
He is a former journalist who worked for several New England newspapers, including the Cape Cod Times and The Providence Journal, where he wrote and directed coverage of banking, investing and personal finance.
David holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Stonehill College and a certificate in financial planning from Boston University. He is a member of the Garrett Planning Network, National Association of Personal Financial Advisors, Financial Planning Association and XY Planning Network.
David’s personal interests include running, hiking and other outdoor activities. He serves on the Board of Trustees of Sturgis Charter Public School in Hyannis and the Financial Planning Association of Massachusetts Board of Directors.
Five things to know about David:
- He spent a summer living in Tokyo, Japan, as a 15-year-old exchange student.
- During his reporting days, he watched former President Clinton play the saxophone while Carly Simon sang at a party on Martha’s Vineyard.
- He once hitch hiked into Belfast, Northern Ireland, when The Troubles were still under way.
- His favorite movie is Good Will Hunting.
- His retirement dream includes working as a cross-country ski patroller in the winter and a national park ranger in the summer.
David McPherson is a Member of the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors

The National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (NAPFA) is a leading professional association of Fee-Only financial advisors - highly trained professionals who are committed to working in the best interests of those they serve.
NAPFA members live by three important values:
- To be the beacon for independent, objective financial advice for individuals and families.
- To be the champion of financial services delivered in the public interest.
- To be the standard bearer for the emerging profession of financial planning.
David McPherson, CFP®, founded Four Ponds Financial Planning in 2007 to provide sound, objective financial advice to clients looking for help with their investments, retirement planning and other money-related needs. The firm works with clients from offices on Cape Cod and in Boston. It also serves clients long distance via online technology.
The firm grew out of David's earlier career as a financial journalist when he gained an up-close view of the shenanigans in some segments of the financial services industry. He concluded there is an unmet need for sound financial advice from objective sources.
The firm’s name is derived from the Four Ponds Conservation Area located a short walk from David McPherson’s home in the Pocasset section of Bourne on Cape Cod. Four Ponds features miles of walking trails that make it a popular destination for short hikes and a favorite place for mountain bikers and trail runners. A silhouette of the ponds that give the area its name is the centerpiece of the Four Ponds logo.
Fee-Only, Fiduciary, Independent: Three Important Criteria to Consider When Choosing a Financial Advisor.
Specialties
- Comprehensive Financial Planning
- Retirement Income Planning
- Investment Management
- College Education Planning
- Tax Planning
Ideal Clients
- Retirees and Near Retirees
- Growing Families
- Business Owners and Executives
- Sudden Money Situations
- Novice Investors
Working Together
- In-Office Meetings
- Virtual Meetings
- Clearly Defined Fees
- No Product Sales
- Complimentary Initial Consultation
Professional Designations & Affiliations
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David McPherson is a NAPFA-Registered Financial Advisor
The National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (NAPFA) is a leading professional association of Fee-Only financial advisors—highly trained professionals who are committed to working in the best interests of those they serve.
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David McPherson is a Member of the XY Planning Network
The XY Planning Network is the leading organization of fee-only financial advisors who are focused on working with Generation X and Generation Y clients. Our mission is to connect consumers with best-in-class financial advisors who specialize in working with clients just like you.
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David McPherson is a member of the Garrett Planning Network. Click here to learn more.
Everyone needs competent, objective financial advice from time to time. The Garrett Planning Network has a nationwide membership with hundreds of independent, Fee-Only financial planners providing advice to people from all walks of life, without minimum account requirements, sales commissions, or long-term commitments. Our members proudly embrace their fiduciary duty, always placing their clients' best interests first.
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David McPherson is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ Professional - Click for Verification
CFP® professionals are held to strict ethical standards to ensure financial planning recommendations are in your best interest. What’s more, a CFP® professional must acquire several years of experience related to delivering financial planning services to clients and pass the comprehensive CFP® Certification Exam before they can use the CFP® designation.
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David McPherson is a member of The Financial Planning Association® (FPA®)
FPA® is the largest membership organization for CFP® professionals in the U.S. and supports high standards of professional competence, ethical conduct, and clear, complete disclosure when serving clients.
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David McPherson is Quoted on CNBC: "59% of well-off millennials say they’d make 1 big retirement mistake for the sake of their kids"
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David McPherson is Featured in The Cape Cod Times: "McPherson, Scotti join financial association board"
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David McPherson is Quoted in US News and World Report: "8 Common Misconceptions About 529 Plans"
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David McPherson Contributes to ABC News: "David McPherson Answers Your Questions About Retirement Planning"
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David McPherson Attended the 2018 Garret Planning Network Retreat
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David McPherson is Quoted in the Cape Cod Times: " Investing: Moving past the ‘fiscal cliff’"
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David McPherson is Featured on Talking Biz News: "From business journalist to financial planner"
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David McPherson Contributed to the Eddie Patel Blog: "Can You Avoid a Madoff-style Ripoff?"
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David McPherson Contributes to ABC News: "David McPherson Answers Your Money Questions"
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David McPherson is Quoted on NewsBreak: "Tips for staying financially stable during pandemic"
Contact David McPherson
Office Locations:
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13 Steeple Street
Suite 202
Mashpee, MA 02649 -
One Boston Place
201 Washington St., Suite 2600
Boston, MA 02108